Toldoth: Antisemitism

Toldoth: Antisemitism

After the mass murder at the Tree of Life synagogue, a patient asked me about the sources of antisemitism.  He  wondered why the antisemites,  people who look so similar to Jews, can bear a murderous hatred  for them.  One of the earliest stories in the Bible, Cain and Abel, tells us that  envy between brothers is a deadly force. There is no stronger competitive force than that between siblings.

I also wonder about the nature of antisemitism.   Such a strong and ancient  prejudice probably has  historical basis, a foundational story that has been distorted into this evil tradition.  This weeks parsha, Toldoth, Legacy, gives our side of the story.  Yes, antisemitism is an important part of  the legacy of the Jew

The Jew, Jacob and the enemy of the Jew, Esau, are brothers. We are told that Esau was red at birth, a basis for calling him Edom, red in Hebrew, the red of blood.  But he acquires the name Edom only after he asks to devour this red, red  stuff, this adom, adom .  For this (al cain) he is called Edom.  The appellation Edom comes from his interaction  with the man who will eventually be called Israel.

The red empires are identified with Esau: Rome, the Catholic church, the Soviet and Communist empires, the German flag (red and black), the Red, White and Blue....places where the descendants of Jacob/Israel lived under the domination of his brother.  Here is the foundational story of the relationship between these "brothers."

That interaction is an archetype of Jew baiting. Esau pronounces something between a request and a command when he sees the porridge that Jacob is cooking . Given my ultimate impression of Esau, as he later  expresses his murderous intent, I imagine that Jacob felt somewhat threatened by his brother, Tony  Rosso (red in Italian). Jacob, keeping his head, makes the interaction into a purchase.  He buys the right to call himself the firstborn  in exchange for the meal.  Esau, tired and starving, sells his title, an item that has no value at the moment, for the red stew.  .Who got the better of the deal?

When Isaac decides to convey the blessings, he tells Esau to bring him a meal so that his soul will bless him.  Rivka understands that  it is the meal that will generate the feelings of satiety and gratitude that induce the blessing...regardless of its bearer.  She will help Esau honor his bargain with Jacob.  Now is the time for Jacob to redeem Edom's debt. Jacob and Rebecca resort to subterfuge and disguise.  Isaac suspects the guile, but conveys the blessing to Jacob, anyway.  When Esau confronts him, Isaac affirms the validity of the blessing that Esau claims was misdirected.

From Jacob's perspective: a deal is a deal. 

From Esau's point of view: Jews cheat. He even says so:
וַיֹּ֡אמֶר הֲכִי֩ קָרָ֨א שְׁמ֜וֹ יַעֲקֹ֗ב וַֽיַּעְקְבֵ֙נִי֙ זֶ֣ה פַעֲמַ֔יִם אֶת־בְּכֹרָתִ֣י לָקָ֔ח וְהִנֵּ֥ה עַתָּ֖ה לָקַ֣ח בִּרְכָתִ֑י

[Esau] said, “Was he, then, named Jacob that he might supplant me these two times? First he took away my birthright and now he has taken away my blessing!” 

Thus is born antisemitism.

Should we change our ways?